Antiprotozoan activity of Brazilian marine cnidarian extracts and of a modified steroid from the octocoral Carijoa riisei

Author(s)

Reimao, Juliana Quero ^[1] ; Migotto, Alvaro Esteves ^[2] ; Kossuga, Miriam H. ^[3] ; Berlinck, Roberto G. S. ^[3] ; Tempone, Andre Gustavo ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Inst Adolfo Lutz Registro, Dept Parasitol, Lab Toxinol Aplicada, BR-01246000 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Biol Marinha, BR-11600000 Sao Sebastiao, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim Sao Carlos, BR-13560970 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Parasitology Research; v. 103, n. 6, p. 1445-1450, NOV 2008.
• Web of Science Citations: 26

Abstract

In the present investigation, we have evaluated the antileishmanial and antitrypanosomal activity of methanolic crude extracts obtained from eight species of cnidarians and of a modified steroid isolated from the octocoral Carijoa riisei. The antileishmanial activity of cnidarians crude extracts showed 50% inhibitory concentration ( IC50) values in the concentration range between 2.8 and 93.3 mu g/mL. Trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi were less susceptible to the crude extracts, with IC50 values in the concentration range between 40.9 and 117.9 mu g/mL. The steroid (18-acetoxipregna-1,4,20-trien-3-one) displayed a strong antileishmanial activity, with an IC50 value of 5.5 mu g/mL against promastigotes and 16.88 mu g/mL against intracellular amastigotes. The steroid also displayed mammalian cytotoxicity (IC50 of 10.6 mu g/mL), but no hemolytic activity was observed at the highest concentration of 12.5 mu g/mL. The antileishmanial effect of the steroid in macrophages suggested other mechanism than macrophage activation, as no upregulation of nitric oxide was observed. The antitrypanosomal activity of the steroid resulted in an IC50 value of 50.5 mu g/mL. These results indicate the potential of cnidarian natural compounds as antileishmanial drug candidates. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 06/05241-2 - Study of anti-Leishmania activity of Brazilian marine invertebrate compounds
• Grantee: Juliana Quero Reimão Dalla Zanna
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• FAPESP's process: 05/60175-2 - Discovery and development of potential chemotherapeutic agents based on marine invertebrates and associated micro-organisms
• Grantee: Roberto Gomes de Souza Berlinck
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 05/00974-9 - Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of amphibian and snake venoms in Leishmaniasis and Chagas' Disease
• Grantee: André Gustavo Tempone Cardoso
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants